Philipp Pinter takes over U20 national team

In September 2022, Canadian Kirk Furey, who has lived in Austria since 2007, was appointed head coach of the U20 national team. Furey led the selection to the U20 World Championship 2023 in Canada in winter, where the team played not far from his birthplace of Halifax.

His home club EC-KAC, where he had worked as head coach in the youth sector in recent years, appointed him head coach of its first team last week. It is therefore no longer possible for the 47-year-old to hold both roles.

ÖEHV views this development positively, even though it is losing an experienced coach.ÖEHV President Klaus Hartmann: “We are very pleased that, with Kirk Furey, an ÖEHV coach will now hold the post of head coach at EC-KAC, one of the most traditional organisations in Austrian ice hockey, and we are convinced that he will successfully continue the path taken by the record champions in developing home-grown players.”

ÖEHV Men's Sporting Director Roger Bader adds: “Before he was appointed head coach of EC-KAC's first team, we had also planned for him to continue as U20 head coach. We warmly congratulate him and wish him every success in his new role. It feels good for us that a coach who led the U20 national team to a World Championship can now take charge of a professional team.”

Philipp Pinter succeeds Furey

The position of U20 national team head coach is not new territory for Philipp Pinter. In summer 2022, he led the national team to the U20 World Championship in Edmonton (CAN), where the tournament was staged again following its covid-related cancellation in winter.

He has also accompanied the U20 selection several times in the past as an assistant coach. “It is an incredibly great task and challenge, one I am very much looking forward to. I am honoured to be entrusted with responsibility for both age groups. It is not commonplace for a coach to hold the position of head coach at both U18 and U20. I would like to thank ÖEHV and Sporting Director Roger Bader for their trust, as well as VSV, which is giving me its full support here,” explains Philipp Pinter and adds: “I know the age groups of recent years very well and have already watched them several times. The next step is the summer camp, where we will have a considerably larger squad with us in order to gain a good overview.”

Alongside his new role, Pinter will also continue as head coach of the U18 national team, with whom he achieved promotion to Division IA at the Division IB World Championship last April.

ÖEHV Men's Sporting Director Roger Bader: “I decided to hand responsibility for the U20 to current U18 head coach Philipp Pinter, after he had already stepped in at the U20 World Championship in Edmonton last summer. As the schedules of the U20 and U18 do not overlap, especially in summer, this dual role is possible. I am fully convinced by this decision. Philipp Pinter has everything needed for this task. He proved that last year in Edmonton and in April with promotion at the U18 World Championship. He will therefore also coach some of this successful team at U20 in future.”

The Villach native is currently planning his coaching staff for both selections: “This dual role is only feasible with a very good coaching staff. I am already finalising staffing matters.”

It has already been confirmed that former national team goaltender Lukas Herzog will join the U20 as goalkeeping coach. Herzog has already been involved twice as goaltending coach with the senior national team and will now look after the youth goaltenders through to the World Championship.